Champions League Round of 16 – First Leg Preview

After an enthralling Playoff round, we now know the 16 teams remaining in the UEFA Champions League this season.

This week, the first legs of those ties will be played, with the teams that qualified via the playoffs being the hosts, while the eight seeded teams have the ‘advantage’ of playing the home leg in the second leg. 

Outlined below is our preview and tip for each of the eight matches taking place across Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Champions League Round of 16 – First Legs

Kick off is 8pm, unless otherwise stated.

Tuesday 10th March

Galatasaray v Liverpool (5.45pm)

These two teams met in the League stage at this ground with a Victor Osimhen penalty enough to earn the Turkish side a 1-0 victory. Liverpool won’t want to travel back to Anfield on the back of a negative result here and their recent form is much better than it was back then. Galatasaray showed what they are capable of at home, beating Juventus 5-2, but Liverpool should be a much tougher prospect and won’t gift the Turkish attacking players as much space as the Italians did. 

• Prediction – Galatasaray 1-1 Liverpool

Newcastle United v Barcelona

This is another tie that replicates a match in the league phase. That night, Barcelona ran out 2-1 winners with Marcus Rashford netting twice against the Toon at St. James’ Park. Eddie Howe badly needs a result here with his team not in the best of form domestically, although their form in Europe has been very good, including putting nine past Qarabag in the two-legs of their playoff tie. This is a tie that looks likely to have a fair few goals and I think should be delicately balanced heading into the second leg at the Nou Camp.

• Prediction – Newcastle 2-2 Barcelona

Tottenham v Atletico Madrid

Tottenham’s domestic issues are well known and Igor Tudor has a real job on his hands to get Spurs right in the Premier League. In Europe though, Tottenham have been much more consistent and they will fancy their chances against an Atletico Madrid team that have been unusually lacking defensively in Europe of late. Spurs will need to take a lead into the second leg if they are to have any realistic chance of progressing here, and I think they may well be able to achieve that if they fan find their European form.

• Prediction – Tottenham 3-1 Atletico Madrid

Atalanta v Bayern Munich

Can Atalanta continue their excellent form against German teams at home? After a second leg 4-1 comeback win over Dortmund, they now face Bayern Munich knowing they are going to need a healthy advantage to take into the second leg. Much depends on the Atalanta that turns up in this game. They have the quality to cause the Germans problems, but do lack consistency. That is Bayern’s strength however and is the key reason why we feel they will win this game.

• Prediction – Atalanta 1-2 Bayern Munich

Wednesday 11th March

Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal (5.45pm)

Unbeaten and unbowed in the Champions League this season, Arsenal travel to Germany hoping to make the second leg at home easier for themselves. They face a Leverkusen team that were strong in Greece in their playoff round, but could only draw at home to Olympiacos. Mikel Arteta will seek to use that to the Gunners’ advantage in this game and in truth, if Arsenal find their form, it is hard to see them losing their 100% winning record in this competition here.

• Prediction – Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Arsenal

Paris St. Germain v Chelsea

This could be the most exciting tie of the round. Chelsea crushed PSG 3-0 in the Club World Cup final in the summer and the current holders of this trophy will want revenge. However, PSG struggled to overcome Monaco in the playoffs and their current form is a long way off their performance in this competition last season. Chelsea do blow hot and cold but their manager has already held PSG to a 3-3 draw at home when he was in charge of Strasbourg earlier in the season.

• Prediction – Paris St. Germain 3-2 Chelsea

Bodo/Glimt v Sporting Lisbon

By whatever measurement they wish to use, Bodo/Glimt’s achievement in this competition this season have been outstanding and I feel they have a superb chance of progressing here against a Lisbon side that is arguably the weakest of the seeded teams. They will need to pick up a win on home soil but I think that they should be more than capable of doing so against a Lisbon team that have had their struggles on the road.

• Prediction – Bodo/Glimt 2-0 Sporting Lisbon

Real Madrid v Manchester City

These teams meet once again in the Champions League as they have several times over the last few seasons. Last year, Man City progressed comfortably and they will fancy their chances against a Real Madrid side that are not in particularly good form at the moment. However, Real in the Champions League are a different prospect, especially at home and I feel that they will likely take the advantage in this game into the second leg, but with City still very much capable of turning things around at the Etihad.

• Prediction – Real Madrid 2-1 Manchester City

Join us next week when we take a look ahead to the second leg of these ties in UEFA’s biggest club competition.